Connect & View ~ FAQs for Schools & Colleges

The Basics

Q: Do I need a camera?
A: Connect & View the interactive whiteboard does not need a camera. Because it uses the school’s wifi, it is cable free! If a student wants to magnify class handouts, books or other objects, Connect & View will need a camera.

Q: Connect & View has 2 purposes then?
Yes. Students can Connect & View the interactive whiteboard. Or, using a camera, they can connect, view and magnify paper documents and objects.

Q: Can the student do both at the same time?
A: Yes. Students can connect & View the whiteboard and be using a camera to magnify local documents. Just like the rest of the class, partially sighted students need access to both sets of information.

Q: Can Connect & View read aloud the document under the student’s camera?
A: Yes. Connect & View includes a feature to take a snapshot of what’s under the camera’s lens. Then simply use SuperNova’s ‘Scan & Read’ from clipboard feature to hear the text read aloud.

Q: So can the student Scan & Read (OCR) the whiteboard with Connect & View?
A: No. Scan & Read is limited to images taken via a connected camera, on the clipboard or from files.

Q: Can my student watch a video I am playing on the whiteboard?
A: In theory yes, but would we recommend it? No. It is likely to be very jumpy and therefore frustrating for the student. We would recommend sharing the video link directly with the student.

Q: Can the student take snapshots or screen grabs of the teachers’ whiteboard?
A: Yes, the snapshot button is conveniently located on the toolbar. Students can click this button and capture the unmagnified image displayed on the whiteboard. These images can then be saved, pasted into a document or explored at a later date.

Q: Does using Connect & View prevent my student actually working on their laptop?
A: No. Students can multi task, and can simply switch between the Connect & View image and their standard work magnified by SuperNova. Alternatively they can split their screen to display the interactive whiteboard and their word document.

Using Connect & View

Q: What will the student see on their laptop screen?
A: Connect & View creates a viewer – a portion of the screen that displays either the contents of the Interactive whiteboard or what’s under the camera lens. The student can adjust the viewer to be top, bottom, left or right side of the screen and the viewer can be set to fill 80%, 50% or 20% of their screen. In the ‘other’ portion of the screen is the student’s standard desktop, complete with SuperNova magnification with their preferred settings.

Q: How easy is it for the student to control Connect & View?
A: Connect & View has its own toolbar that can be opened for use and closed away to save space. The buttons are simple and designed to be self-explanatory. There are also a couple of quick hotkeys that enable the student to jump between the desktop, the camera and the whiteboard.

Teacher Security & Safety

Q: Can my student interfere or change things on my computer?
A: No. Connect & View delivers information in one direction. Students can’t make any changes to teachers’ computers. However most VNC solutions have the ability to remote control. Care should be taken so that when they are setup, only the “view-only” password is given to the students and a secure password should be set for full control.

Q: What happens after the lesson? Can the student still see my computer?
A: To allow the student using SuperNova to connect to your computer, you must turn on the VNC software. Turning off the software blocks the student having access.

Q: Can I control which students have sight of a teacher’s whiteboard?
A: Yes. Connect & View comes with password control. The password can also be changed at any time.

Q: Do I have to have wifi?
A: No, the student’s computer could be connected to the school network using a network cable.

Q: Do I need a wifi access point in each classroom?
A: No, as long as the student can get a good wifi signal from the school network, you shouldn’t need an access point in each classroom.

Q: What does VNC mean and do?
A: Connecting to a whiteboard uses virtual network computing (VNC). VNC is a type of software that makes it possible to view another computer over a network connection. There are a number of free and low cost VNC software programs available. These include tight VNC, Ultra VNC and Real VNC. The VNC software must be installed and running on the presenter's computer for SuperNova to make a connection. The VNC software does not need to be installed onto the computer running SuperNova.

What Devices?

Q: Can the teacher be using an Apple device?
A: Yes. MACs include a VNC function called Screen Sharing that is compatible with students using Connect & View on their Windows device.

Q: Which cameras are compatible?
A: If your student wants to use Connect & View to look at class handouts, they’ll need a camera. You can use or connect any high-definition camera. As a general rule of thumb, if it works with Skype, it will work with SuperNova Connect & View. For best results use an HD camera with autofocus, delivering 1080p video resolution with automatic low-light correction. This will require a USB 2.0 port connection to the computer.

Q: Which interactive whiteboards are compatible?
A: All interactive whiteboards. Essentially the interactive whiteboard isn’t involved in Connect & View. Connect & View is using VNC to ‘see’ the teacher’s presentation on the teacher’s computer.

NB: The Scan & Read (OCR) feature is not included in SuperNova Magnifier.